Fellow Pilots,
Last Thursday, APA submitted a proposal to management to grant a contract exception in support of DFW-Beijing service. One of the items the APA Board of Directors considers essential for any new long-haul agreement is a provision granting AA pilots the ability to use the cabin jumpseat for personal travel when no other seat is available on the aircraft and after any non-rev AA flight attendants have been accommodated. Some flight attendants have expressed concerns or objections about our proposal based largely on the belief that APFA controls the disposition of an empty cabin jumpseat, or possibly because they believe pilots may encroach upon a right that they bargained for and value highly.
First, I would like to emphasize that APA respects the contractual rights of other AA labor groups, and we do not seek conflict on this issue. We understand that some flight attendants may have questions about APA’s effort to obtain cabin jumpseat rights for pilots. Please be respectful of their concerns and assure them that we are only asking for access after all non-rev AA flight attendants have been accommodated. Under APA’s proposal, non-rev flight attendants would still have priority for the cabin jumpseat. Nothing in this proposal impairs a flight attendant’s ability to use the cabin jumpseat for non-rev travel.
In a hotline to the flight attendants this weekend, APFA President Tommie Hutto-Blake asserted that flight attendants “own†the cabin jumpseat and therefore APFA must be consulted on the use of an otherwise empty cabin jumpseat (click here to read). When APA first investigated the subject of cabin jumpseat access several months ago, Ms. Hutto-Blake made clear that APFA was only willing to discuss the issue based upon the premise that APFA has the authority to grant or deny access to the cabin jumpseat. That position is not supported by any known agreement. While APA is always open to dialogue with other employee groups on topics of mutual concern, we cannot in good conscience accept claims of contractual ownership where none exist.
APFA’s contract does grant AA flight attendants the ability to use an unoccupied cabin jumpseat for non-rev use, but it does not grant exclusive use of or the bargaining authority for these seats (click here to read). On previous occasions, AA Employee Relations representatives have stated that only management has the authority to grant cabin jumpseat access. I have taken the additional step of requesting AA Vice President – Employee Relations Mark Burdette to confirm this position in writing (click here to read).
Ms. Hutto-Blake also cites an AA Flight Attendant Manual prohibition on the use of cabin jumpseats by pilots. The pilots’ Flight Manual Part I contains similar language in Section 4, paragraph 3.7. As most of you know, however, company flight manuals articulate company policies and do not represent contractual agreements with employees. APA has never let internal company policies limit the issues on which we choose to bargain.
APA believes that pilot access to the cabin jumpseat is a clear no-cost benefit that should be provided immediately regardless of any other ongoing negotiations. Flights are fuller than ever, and leaving employees standing at the gate when there is an empty seat that could be used makes no sense. Furthermore, opening the cabin jumpseat to non-rev pilots provides incremental benefits to all employees – flight attendants included. When a D-2 pilot is able to occupy the cabin jumpseat, one more seat potentially becomes available for another non-rev passenger (employees, family, D-3 companions, etc.). Six of nine major airlines currently allow cabin jumpseat use by pilots.
Again, we respect the flight attendants' contract and APFA’s obligation to represent their members. We appreciate the effort it took APFA to secure the cabin jumpseat for their members nearly 30 years ago. APA is now engaging in a similar battle on behalf of our members. APA’s proposal does not diminish any flight attendant contractual right, and it just makes sense to put an otherwise empty seat to use.
In Unity,
